5 February 2021 2021 Cookbook Challenge

2021 Cookbook Challenge

posted by Leave a Comment

One of my 2021 goals is to cook through the entire Skinnytaste Meal Prep cookbook. I chose that one for a few reasons. 1) I needed to get back into eating healthier. 2) I hope at some point to go back into the office, and get back into a real routine, and meal prepping is essential for that. 3) I love to cook and just wanted some new ideas to try- and none of these are that time consuming or crazy to make.

I’ve enjoyed trying some new recipes and flavor profiles. Some of my favorite recipes in the first 15 or so that I cooked were:

The Italian sausage ricotta frittata. I make egg casseroles a lot, but this was my first frittata where I cooked it in a skillet and turned it out. Very good!

The California roll bowl was SO good. I riffed on it, using shrimp instead of crab and romaine instead of cabbage…but it was a DELISH grain bowl and the dressing was so light and flavorful. It was also fun to finally have a use for the furikake seasoning I bought at Trader Joe’s.

These tostadas were SO tasty. I didn’t use precooked chicken, instead, we had brisket and shrimp leftovers, so I used that. But I loved the simple slaw and the combo of the beans and slaw and taco flavors. Would make again (but would probably just have in a taco shell because they were messy on a tostada!)

I’m excited to keep cooking through this book. There are like 130 recipes to try, so I’ve got a ways to go!


Filed Under: Cooking, goals

Paying it Down

posted by Leave a Comment









In the last year or so, I’ve depended on my credit cards a bit more than I’d like.

Nothing major, but things like putting concert tickets  on the card….and then *oops* spending the cash my friends paid me….instead of paying off the card.

I had racked up a bit of a credit card balance.  Nothing debilitating but more than I can pay off in one swoop. And while I knew it would be paid off soon, I have decided to work hard and pay them off.

I made a plan.  I wrote out what’s owed on the cards along with everything that’s incoming for the next couple of months (freelance work, Zumba payment, Adsense money, etc) and I have a plan to have it paid off by March.

While it does feel good to think I won’t have that looming over me, most importantly, it feels like a spiritual goal.  God doesn’t want me to worry about and be a slave to those cards. I don’t want to use them to buy things that are coming from a place of covet-ness or unhappiness. I want to use them for the things that are smart (like earning points from a vacation that I will pay off when we return)…but not just as an excuse to be reckless.

So here’s to paying it down in the next few months. Looking forward to that!

 


Filed Under: goals
1 August 2014 Friday Five: Five Goals for August

Friday Five: Five Goals for August

posted by 2 Comments









Honesty time: I’ve been doing well with my workouts, but seems this summer has been tough.  Lots of barbecuing, ice cream, and we’ve been so busy we’ve eaten out more than normal.

I am feeling ok with myself, but I know I need to break some of the habits that have been forming this summer.  I’m setting some goals to break these habits.

You may get sick of seeing them, but I’m going to do a little 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 update at the bottom of posts for August to help hold me accountable.

So here are five goals for August.

  1. No fast food. I’m in a bad habit of picking up breakfast on my way to work or grabbing lunch while I’m out running errands.  If I plan my food, I won’t be in these food emergency situations.
  2. No bingeing. I have an ugly history with binge eating.  It creeps back in every once in a while.  I just eat more than I had planned, or eat mindlessly…and before you know it, I’ve consumed an entire bag of something, or eaten three helpings of something.  I don’t do it often, but I’m hoping to go 31 days binge free this month.
  3. No chips and salsa. There is nothing inherently wrong with chips and salsa, but I have no self control with them.  I eat too much every single time.  And it’s a trigger food.  When I eat chips and salsa, I eat other unhealthy foods.  So goodbye salsa.
  4. Three morning workouts each week. Get yo butt out of bed, Brittney.  I love Piyo, and I need to do it three times a week minimum.
  5. No alcohol. I’m not an alcoholic, but I might have a glass of wine once a week.  This is also a trigger because I often have unhealthy snacks with my wine. So no wine this month.  That bottle of Stella Rosa Black in the cabinet can wait.
None of these things need to be permanent in my lifestyle, but like I said, I’m trying to break a few bad habits.  So please bear with me this month as I update each post with a little list at the bottom holding myself accountable.  It’s time to take control.

 


Filed Under: goals, weight loss

Middle of the Pack

posted by 2 Comments









I was looking through some of the race results from some of my 5ks this year.

I’m 100% a middle of the pack racer.

At the Inferno Run, I was 26/61 women.
At the Hotfoot Run, I was 48/103.
At the Reach Out and Run, I was 123/217.

Not at all races report times, but I know I’m not the fastest, and I beat the walkers.  But I’m right there in the middle. (except for that tiny race in Booneville where I won 2nd place female.)

I typically hate being mediocre. I hated piano because I wasn’t GREAT at it. I quit gymnastics because I was slow learning.

But with running, I’m not really competing with anyone but myself.

My biggest goal for the year is to beat my best time: 34:50.  I’m not sure I’m doing any chip timed races until the Yule Run in December (which is the race I PRed in – my first 5k I ran)…but I want to beat that time.  I want to beat myself…not anyone else.

Only one person “wins” a race, but I can race each one better.

I’m actually considering two events for the fall that I’m almost afraid to type.  I want to run a 10k.  There are a few in our area in the fall, but I only have one weekend free (and its the smallest of the races…like the results from last year have like 10 in the 10k and like 20 in the marathon).  But I want to do it. If it becomes “easy” to run 10k (6.2 miles), then I might consider the second one….but it’s the weekend before the triathlon.

Triathlon say what? Yup, I also want to train for the women’s indoor triathlon at the gym. It is 6 laps in the pool, 6 miles on the bike, and 2 mile run.  I think I can do it! 

So I’m focused on running more, running longer, and working on some cross training in the pool and on the bike.  They actually go hand-in-hand really well.  Swimming and biking will help make me a faster runner.  So maybe when December rolls around, I can beat my 5k time!

What about you?  Do you enjoy pushing yourself, even if you aren’t the best? What are you working towards?


Filed Under: goals, running, workout